STRONG TOGETHER

With quick precision, Michael moves from teammate to teammate, touching each one gently to surround them in a protective aura of lightning. As he throws a charged bolt skyward, it lifts them all into the air, just in time as the water walls collapse, crashing violently onto the island below. In the torrent, Michael moves like a blur of light within the swirling vortex of water and electricity, delivering strike after strike to the A-Star zombies caught in the chaos.

From above, Mai watches him with awe, her heart swelling as she recalls the fierce determination Michael had shown in past battles, especially when he and Frank had faced Simon. The same fire blazes in his eyes now as he dives into the maelstrom, utterly focused and unrelenting. In a final, powerful move, Michael emerges from the vortex and throws a massive bolt of lightning straight into the heart of the storm. The explosion is immense, lighting up the sky as a colossal wave of energy tears through the vortex, evaporating the water into thick clouds of steam.

As the battlefield quiets, the steam dissipates, and a gentle rain begins to fall, softening the aftermath of the destruction. Michael looks up toward Mai, his breaths heavy, his gaze intense yet calm. The rain falls lightly, mingling with the remnants of lightning that still linger in the air, and in this moment, there is both peace and an unspoken promise of strength between them.

As they all gently descend back to the island, a bright message forms in the sky: "YOU ALL SURVIVED." Relieved, they take in the quiet moment, but Mai notices something on the ground nearby—Jazz's severed zombie head, flickering with the last traces of his consciousness. She approaches slowly, her heart heavy, and gently assures him, "It's alright now, Jazz. You can finally be alone, just like you wanted."

Jazz's dimming eyes meet hers, and in a voice filled with unexpected clarity, he replies, "No… I'm going to go see Frank…" His words hit Mai like a jolt, the realization sinking in that Jazz, even in his final moments, sensed the truth about Frank's passing, just by looking at Mai's expression. She watches as the light in his brain fades, his tortured spirit finally at peace, and with that, he slips away for good.

One by one, the team is pulled back to their platforms on the board game. Michael lays down onto his platform, exhausted, muttering that he's running low on electricity. Megan slumps down on her platform, confessing that her magic reserves are spent, and she doubts she could summon Shining Star again today. Mai checks her own wounds, surprised to see they've healed, and Jean, stirring awake, discovers his injury has closed as well, courtesy of the board game's strange restorative magic.

As they continue rolling the dices and facing new trials, the board seems to be toying with them, pushing each member toward their own unique test. Jean's dice land on a solid 10, and as he steps onto the 10th platform, shimmering magic words emerge before him: "HERO TIME." In an instant, Jean's form fades, dissolving into a flash of light.

Next, Nakao rolls and steps onto her platform. Words appears "SAVE THE SINNER." She barely has a moment to react before magic swirls around her, and she, too, vanishes from sight.

Then it's Simbad's turn. His dice roll leads him to a platform marked by heavy, darkened letters: "DARK GUARDIAN." As soon as he steps on it, a shadowy aura envelops him, pulling him away from the board game, leaving nothing but a faint echo of magic in his place.

Finally, Megan moves forward, the numbers on her dice guiding her to a platform that sparkles with an unsettling energy. The message reads, "FUN TIME JOKER TIME," and the platform lights up in a chaotic burst of rainbow fireworks. Megan disappears in a shower of colorful sparks, leaving only the faint scent of smoke and the eerie feeling that her trial might be the most unpredictable of all.

Jean appears on a glowing magic circle, taking in his surroundings. He realizes he's in the middle of a city. His attention is drawn to a massive balloon floating in the sky, which suddenly bursts, releasing Kiren, who begins plummeting toward the ground. But before he hits, magical strings wrap around Kiren's body, suspending him mid-air. In the sky, luminous words appear: "Save as much as you can into the circle. If all were to fall before 30 minutes, then this Hero will die."

Jean frowns, still piecing together the objective of this strange challenge. Suddenly, the strings binding Kiren yank hard, splitting him into hundreds of identical copies, scattering them across the city. Nearby, one of these Kirens stands out, gripping his hammer with fierce determination.

"I've split into over a hundred versions of myself," Strong Kiren says, voice filled with resolve. "I am the strongest Kiren, and it's hero time to save myself!"

With that, Strong Kiren takes off, quickly gathering the scared Kirens who are wandering aimlessly. Jean's gaze returns to the sky, where new text appears: "The Hunter will be deployed in 30 seconds."

Jean quickly calculates. "As long as I can keep just one Kiren in this circle until the 30 minutes are up," he mutters to himself, "I'll win this challenge and save Kiren."

Jean continues guiding as many Kirens as he can into the magic circle, urgently herding them forward. As the timer hits zero and restarts at 30 minutes, the sky darkens ominously. Jean's gaze shifts to a tall building where he spots one of the Kirens—this one cloaked in dark magic, with a sinister clown mask forming over his face. Dark Kiren summons a shadowy hammer, then turns on his fellow Kirens, taking down several around him in a flash. Panic ripples through out the building, and the other Kirens flee the building, racing toward the streets in fear, as Dark Kiren crashes out from a glass window onto the streets.

From a distance, Jean watches as Strong Kiren steps up to face Dark Kiren, his hammer gleaming with determination. The two clash with a thunderous impact, the force of their hammers cracking nearby structures. Strong Kiren raises his voice, calling out to his copies, "Have no fear, Kirens! I'll defeat this villain for you all!"

Dark Kiren swings his hammer in a brutal arc, but Strong Kiren dodges gracefully and counters, splitting Dark Kiren's chest open. Dark Kiren collapses onto the ground, and the surrounding Kirens break into applause, cheering their hero's apparent victory. But Jean's instincts tell him otherwise. "It's not over!" he shouts, his voice echoing across the street.

In an instant, dark magic seals Dark Kiren's wound, and he rises, unscathed. With one quick strike, he sends Strong Kiren crashing into a nearby building. Jean's heart races; if Strong Kiren falls now, his chances of winning this challenge will be zero to none. Drawing his katana, Jean dashes forward as Dark Kiren grabs Strong Kiren by the neck, his grip tightening.

Jean leaps into action, slashing through Dark Kiren's arm and freeing Strong Kiren. With a swift kick, he sends Dark Kiren flying across the street, crashing into a car. Grabbing Strong Kiren, Jean pulls him to safety just as Dark Kiren's arm begins to reform, the dark magic mending him once again.

From their vantage point from a building, Jean and Strong Kiren watch in horror as Dark Kiren methodically slaughters the Kirens in the streets below. Strong Kiren's eyes blaze with fury. "I need to get back out there and save them!" he insists, ready to jump into action.

Jean, however, grabs his arm, pulling him back. "No," he says, his voice urgent. "We're no match for him. If we fall now, the real Kiren will die. We have to think carefully."

They both watch in silence as Dark Kiren moves toward the magic circle, where a dozen Kirens stands in fear. Dark Kiren doesn't hesitate—he raises his hammer and slaughters them all without mercy.

Jean tightens his grip on Strong Kiren. "Even inside the circle, they're not safe. We need to time it perfectly so at least one Kiren can remain in the circle before the clock runs out," Jean explains, while his mind racing.

As they continue to observe, Dark Kiren stops in front of the magic circle, standing motionless as if he's guarding it. The realization hits Jean like a shockwave. "He's going to guard it and kill anyone who comes near the circle, until time runs out," Jean mutters, stunned. "He knows what we're going to do."

Strong Kiren glares at Dark Kiren, his expression hardening with determination. "Then we'll need a plan. A hero plan to win this together, but it'll take everything we've got."

Dark Kiren raises his arm and throws his hammer with terrifying force. The hammer cuts through the air, crashing into multiple buildings in its path. The buildings groan and collapse under the impact, the structures crumbling as debris rains down onto the streets below.

As the hammer hurtles toward them, Jean and Strong Kiren barely have time to react. The blow strikes the building they are perched on, sending them both tumbling across the floor. The force of the impact propels them through the glass window, and they plummet toward the ground.

Instinctively, Jean slams his katana into the side of the nearest building, the blade sinking deep into the stone. He uses it to slow his fall, his muscles straining with the effort. With his free hand, he grabs Strong Kiren, pulling him toward safety.

They both crash onto the next building's rooftop, breathless but alive. Jean's gaze shifts upward, locking onto the timer hovering in the sky. It reads: 20 minutes left.

Suddenly, an ominous darkness rises from outside the city, creeping across the landscape like a living shadow. It engulfs a third of the city, devouring buildings and streets in its wake. Jean stares at it, his expression grim. "It looks like every 10 minutes, our play area shrinks," he observes.

Strong Kiren nods, gripping his hammer tightly. "When the timer hits 10 minutes, that'll be our final stand."

Jean meets his gaze, determination flashing in his eyes. "I have a plan," he says, turning to head down the stairs. Strong Kiren follows closely as they move quickly through the city, gathering as many scattered Kirens as they can. After an exhausting effort, they manage to corral about 50 Kirens into a single building.

Inside, the atmosphere is tense. The gathered Kirens huddle together, fear written all over their faces. Jean steps onto a table, commanding their attention. "The Kiren I know isn't weak like this!" he declares, his voice cutting through the uneasy murmurs.

The room falls silent, all eyes turning to him. Jean continues, his voice steady and firm. "We're in this together. If we want to survive, we need to work as one. Fight as one. Only then can we save ourselves!"

Strong Kiren leaps onto the table beside him, raising his hammer high. "We are the Star Hero!" he shouts, his voice full of conviction. "Our journey as heroes has just begun!"

The hammer glows brightly, its radiant light cutting through the fear in the room. The Kirens, inspired by his words and the shimmering hammer, erupt into cheers, their spirits reignited with newfound hope.

Moments later, the timer in the sky ticks down to 10 minutes, and the darkness spreads further, consuming two-thirds of the city. From a distance, Dark Kiren spots Jean and Strong Kiren leading an army of Kirens, their determination unshaken. Snarling, Dark Kiren raises his hammer and unleashes a dark pulse, its energy surging toward them.

"Shields together!" Strong Kiren commands, his voice steady and resolute. In perfect unison, a dozen Kirens summon glowing shields, forming a protective barrier that absorbs the dark pulse's devastating energy.

Meanwhile, Dark Kiren notices Jean charging from another direction, leading a group of Kirens armed with hammers. Before Dark Kiren can react, magical shields fly through the air, slamming into him and stunning him momentarily. The Kiren army seizes the opportunity, swarming him from all sides. Their hammers strike relentlessly, hitting him from every angle.

Dark Kiren lets out an ear-splitting roar, and dark energy erupts from his body, sending the Kirens flying in every direction. Amid the chaos, Strong Kiren steps forward, meeting Dark Kiren face to face. Spinning his hammer upward, he shouts, "We are the Star Hero! Together, we'll end this here and now!"

The Kirens cheer in unison, their voices rising in defiance. In a spectacular display of unity, all of their hammers dissolve into radiant magic dust, which swirls through the air and converges on Strong Kiren's hammer. The weapon grows larger and larger, glowing with an intensity that blinds even Dark Kiren for a moment.

Dark Kiren's expression twists in shock as he sees the massive, spinning magical hammer forming above. Strong Kiren hurls the enormous hammer downward with all his strength. Dark Kiren raises his own weapon to meet it, but the sheer power of the blow is overwhelming. A massive magical explosion engulfs the battlefield, sending Dark Kiren hurtling into the encroaching darkness.

As the dust settles, the Kirens regroup and look up at the sky. The timer now reads: 6 minutes left.

Strong Kiren tightens his grip on his newly reforged hammer and turns to his comrades. "We just need to hold out a bit longer!" he shouts, rallying them once more.

Dark Kiren emerges from the darkness with a feral roar, his speed and presence more menacing than ever. Without hesitation, he charges straight toward the group. Strong Kiren summons the giant magic hammer once more, hurling it with all his might. The weapon streaks through the air, radiating blinding light. But Dark Kiren counters, summoning a massive dark shield that blocks the impact. The clash triggers another devastating explosion, shaking the ground and sending shockwaves through the city.

Jean watches in awe, momentarily stunned by how powerful Strong Kiren has become. But he doesn't let it distract him for long. He quickly gathers a dozen Kirens into the magic circle, urging them to stay inside no matter what. As he turns back to the battle, his blood runs cold. Out of the lingering smoke, Dark Kiren charges at Strong Kiren and swings his hammer with unrelenting force, striking him directly in the head.

Time seems to freeze as Strong Kiren's body explodes into a burst of darkness, his form disintegrating into black mist. The battlefield falls silent for a brief moment, the weight of the loss sinking into everyone.

Jean's eyes snap to the timer in the sky: 5 minutes left. His heart pounds. Doubt creeps into his mind. Can we even survive that long?

Dark Kiren wastes no time, rushing through the battlefield with unrelenting speed and fury, cutting down Kirens one after another. The screams and chaos echo through the streets as Jean turns toward the last dozen Kirens huddled in the magic circle. Their terror is palpable, and Jean knows they won't last long like this.

Taking a deep breath, Jean steps forward. He grips his katana tightly, forcing the fear from his mind. As Dark Kiren barrels toward him, Jean steels himself. "I need to be stronger," he mutters, his voice low but resolute. He plants his feet firmly and raises his blade. "This is the moment to be strong!"